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Recently, Karyn Pinter got the chance to catch up with writer Ian Edginton to pick his brain about his upcoming project with Radical Comics, Aladdin. Move over Disney, and prepare yourself because this is “a whole new world.”

Karyn Pinter: So, starting with the obvious, tell us a bit about Aladdin? What sets this Aladdin aside from what readers already know?

Ian Edginton: It’s still primarily the classic story of the boy-thief who makes good, the evil sorcerer, the djinn of the lamp and the ring, but I’ve also tried to ground it in a version of the real-world of the time. So for Aladdin that means, what is it like living rough on the streets back then? If you’re a sorcerer, it’s not all evil laughs and twirling your mustache — messing with magic comes at a price, the stuff’s toxic, it eats you up body and soul. Then there’s the djinn, well for starters there’s not a pair of harem pants in sight! They are terrifying, monstrous, unearthly creatures bound to serve their human master by just a thin sliver of magic. They’re like those bloody stupid people who keep lions, tiger or panthers as pets and walk around with them on a lead. One day, sure as God made little apples, their kitties will tear their throats out because it’s what they do, they’re savage, wild creatures. Same goes for the djinn, they may be compelled to grant you three wishes but they’ll do their damnedest to make sure those wishes well and truly screw you up!